The overriding objective of my research is to link the area of information systems engineering with theories of human behavior coming from fields such as linguistics, psychology, and sociology. This linkage is bi-directional. First, understanding of human behavior could help guide the design of information technologies (IT). Second, an understanding of IT’s capabilities, could guide novel organizational forms and processes. My past and current research projects are motivated by these two perspectives for linking systems engineering with human behavior theory. My research interests are in the areas of computer supported cooperative work (CSCW) and knowledge management.

Research Funding

• [PI] University of Alberta, School of Business, Research Start-Up Grant, Information Retrieval, Filtering, and Wiki Systems, 2004-2011, $56,000.

• [PI] University of Alberta, School of Business SAS/RAC, 2004/5, 2005/6, 2006/7, 2007/8, and 2008/9 (various projects): $6000-7000 for one year each, totaling at $31,000.

• [PI] Canadian Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), Wiki technology in corporate settings: developing theoretical foundations, $65,000 over three years (awarded 2008).

• [Collaborator] Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Canadian Writing Research Collaboratory, $2,900,000 over three years (awarded 2009; in collaboration with a large group of researchers).

• [Co-PI] City of Edmonton, Alberta, Wiser is the Path, $75,000 over two years (awarded 2009; in collaboration with Dr. Croitoru).

• [Co-PI] Canadian Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) RDI, Mapping Information Science, 1994-present, $39,964 (awarded 2010; in collaboration with with Dr. Ruecker).

• [PI] Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery grant, Theory Driven Design for Collaborative Information Technology, $14,000 over one year (awarded 2011).

• [Co-PI; with Drs. Nov and Mandayam] National Academies Keck Future Initiative (NAKFI) grant by the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), and the Institute of Medicine (IOM), From informed human brains to society-scale silicon brains: Uncovering the DNA of social knowledge, $50,000 over one year (awarded 2013).

• [PI] Canadian Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Insight grant, Wiki DNA: Uncovering the Patterns of Online Collaboration, $363,591 over 5 years (awarded 2013).